Runaway Ostrich raises some Eyebrows

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On a recent afternoon motorists heading along the Federal Highway were treated to an unusual sight: an ostrich legging it in a fast lane on the way to Kuala Lumpur. The bird was sprinting at an estimated speed of 35km/h.

According to Darren Chow, her owner, Chickaboo jumped out of his Toyoya’s open window while she was being transported back home after she had been featured in an animal education program for children earlier the day. “I didn’t expect the amount of publicity (that ensued) and it’s overwhelming in such a short period of time,” Chow, who participates in education programs about animals for children, told Channel NewsAsia. “It’s an ostrich, my ostrich, my pet. This is going overboard!”

That’s commendable. Ostriches need plenty of space for sprinting around to their heart’s content as is their wont in the wild, and few private owners can afford to give them that much space in their backyards. Beyond concerns of animal welfare, however, there are also safety issues involved in keeping ostriches as pets. The large flightless birds are generally harmless but if provoked they can inflict severe (and potentially deadly) harm on people with their powerful kicks. “If kept in the vicinity of one’s house, the bird can pose a threat if it escapes, potentially harming people around it,” said Kanda Kumar, an adviser for the Malaysian Nature Society.

Chow insists he bought Chickaboo to use her in his educational programs. “Why did we get Chickaboo?” he explained. “It’s to educate children as part of our campaign to accept animals as part of our lives.” That, too, is commendable.

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Clean Malaysia is an independent online news site covering all aspects of Malaysia’s environmental landscape. We are dedicated to delivering news, analysis and opinions to both Malaysians and the international community. Our mission is to raise awareness of Malaysia as a tropical natural beauty but also to bring to light environmental dangers and encourage a debate about the future of Malaysia’s sustainable development.